Caitlin Doornbos

A 22-year-old former Kansas University student found guilty of aggravated sexual battery after handcuffing, fondling and kissing a classmate against her will was granted probation Wednesday for the crime.

Christopher John Colvin was found guilty in September of the charge after accepting a plea deal that Senior Assistant District Attorney Eve Kemple offered. In the negotiation, Kemple agreed to dismiss two other charges Colvin faced in the case: sexual battery and violation of a protection order.

Kemple said Wednesday she would recommend probation instead of prison for Colvin after reviewing a psychological report on the man. One of the terms of Colvin’s probation is that he attend regular psychological treatments and therapy sessions.

Christopher John Colvin

In Colvin’s January preliminary hearing, his 21-year-old victim testified that on the night of Nov. 10 she went to Colvin’s studio apartment for a voice lesson. Colvin, who was a music education major at KU at the time, asked the woman to be his voice student to fulfill a requirement for a class.

When the “lesson” began, Colvin told the woman to close her eyes, she said. Once she did, the defendant handcuffed her wrists in front of her body and told her he would uncuff her if she kissed him.

The woman said she told the defendant she did not have romantic feelings for him, but kissed him because she felt “helpless” and “without control” in the restraints, she said.

Colvin then touched her breasts, lifted her shirt and began kissing her chest against her will, the woman said. When Colvin unlocked the handcuffs to remove the woman’s shirt, she said she was able to get away.

The following day, the woman met with a police officer who asked her to make a recorded call to Colvin.

During the phone call, Colvin made a series of incriminating statements, said Lawrence Police Officer Tim Froese. Colvin said he “wasn’t in the right mind” and that he “wanted to feel in control and needed to control something.”

Colvin’s attorney, Heather Landon, said Wednesday that Colvin has been attending weekly therapy sessions and is employed full time.

“(Colvin) is ready to put it behind him and to prove to everyone that he is a good candidate for probation,” Landon said.

Colvin apologized to the court before Douglas County District Judge Sally Pokorny handed down his sentence.

“I’m very sorry for what I’ve done,” Colvin said. “I want to move on and work on these issues in my life.”

Pokorny had the choice to sentence Colvin to 32 months in prison, but instead ordered him to serve 36 months of probation, finding that he is “not a significant threat to the community” and that “resources are available” to him to lessen the chance of recidivism.

As part of his probation, Colvin is banned from having any contact with his victim or consuming drugs or alcohol. He also cannot leave the state of Kansas without express permission from his probation officer and he must register as a sex offender.